Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-03-17

phc udy Wilt TOuHus WHICH OCCuiIcu III
the middle of February, there was great
stir and boisterous mirth among the
young folks of the imperial city.
Among other customs the Roman lads
and maidens wrote their names upon
tablets which were drawn by lot from
box, and the couples thus thrown to-
gether were supposed to be attentive
to each other for a certain season.
Presents of jewelry, flowers and other
trifles dear to the hearts of the Roman
maids were given by the young men,
and doubtless suitable returns were
made. There is no doubt the little
olive-colored Italian boys and girls en-
joyed the day quite as much as modern
children do the fourteenth of February
now"
"Why did they call it the Lupercal
and not St. Valentines Day?" in
quired Dura. 81 think Valentine
much the prettier name"
"Lupercal was the day sacred to
their false god Lupercus, whom they
imagined to preside over fertility. ST..
Valentine was not known then nor for
many years after. When Christianity
became the prevailing religion, the
church made an effort to abolish the
heather feast. which, by that time,
had become mere expression of gal
lantry, but, finding this quite futile,
another name was given to it, and, as
one of the early martyrs had his
birthday on the fourteenth, they very
appropriately selected him. This was
st. Valentine, a Bishop or Presbyter
who suffered martyrdom about two
hundred and seventy years after our
Saviour's time. He is spoken of in
the early church histories as a very
good, gentle and benevolent man. !
can not help thinking that the good
Bishop would be surprised at some OF
the customs by which his name is per-
petuated.
"During the middle ages there was
prevalent notion among the country
people that this was the day on which
birds selected their mates, and at one
time it was the custom for young folks
to go out before daylight on that morn
ing, and try to catch an owl and two
sparrows in net. If they succeeded,
it was a good omen, and entitled them
to gifts from the villagers. Another
fashion was to write the valentine, tie
it to an apple or orange, and steal up to
the house of the chosen one in the even.
ing, open the door quietly and throw il
in.
"The drollest valentine | ever heard
of belongs to those old times in En-
gland, and consisted of the rib of 8
small animal, wrapped in white satin
ribbon, which was tied in true lovers
knots in several places. This elegant
and suggestive gift was sent to bach.
elor, accompanied with verses, some Of
which are not superior to those on
Dura's valentines. Here is one that
remember:
"'Go, contemplate this lovely sign,
Haste thee away to Reasons shrine,
And listen to her voice;
"'No more Elusive shades pursue,
To happiness this gives the clue,
Make but a prudent choice.
" Till Adam had partner given,
Much as fair Eden bloom'd like heaven;
His bliss was incomplete;
"No social friend these joys to share,
Gave the gay scene a vacant air;
She came-'twas all repleter
which was nothing to be desired, In
sure"
The children laughed merrily at The
idea of the rib and the verses. II
seems to me-" said Dura, "that thai
was not much better style than my boy
and donkey"
81 think it conveyed altogether ,
different meaning. You see those wer,
the days of gallantry and chivalry, ant
their minds all run on love, courtshiI
ans! marriage. 1t was supposed, fol
instance, that the first unmarried per
son of the other sex whom one met OF
st. Valentines morning in walking
abroad was a destined wife or DIES
tined husband. They seemed to hav,
imagined that an influence was inner
ent in the day which rendered in som,
degree binding the lot or chance b,
which any youth or maid was led to fl,
his attention on person of the oppo
site sex.
"Those were the days of charms
and of course the rural maidens had
sure and infallible charm foretellin,
the future husband. On the eve of st
Valentines Day, the anxious damse
prepared for sleep by pinning to he
pillow five bay leaves, one at eacl
corner and one in the middle, whicl
must have been delightful to sleep on
by the way. If she dreamed of he
| sN SHt was SURF W
before the end of the year. All thi
seems very silly to us, l am sure.
"Some of the old customs of the da
are still followed in various parts @
Europe. In the provinces of France
on the eve of the day a number @
young folks assemble together, and in
scribe upon little billets the name of a
equal number of each sex of their aC
quaintance, throw the whole together
and draw them the same as in lot
terry, care being taken that each shoul
draw one of the opposite sex. The pei
son becomes Mrs. Valentine. For
year the bachelor is bound to the serv
ice of his valentine, somewhat in tn
style of a knight of the middle age;
and often times he concludes to renal
bound to her companionship the rest G
his life
THAT is very much like the old Re
| man cuStorn that Won told ne of - co;